The present invention involves an envelope processing machine such as a mailing machine. The mailing machine has been available in many forms, being able to process mail and envelopes of all sizes, and types since Arthur Pitney and Walter Wheeler Jr. of Pitney Bowes Inc. began developing these machines. The older equipment and that of the present age utilize a moistening device for the envelope or mail flaps. The moistening apparatus identified with the equipment depends upon being able to separate the envelope or mail flap from the body of the envelope. Once separated, a stripper blade may be utilized to keep the flap away from the body of the envelope, thereby allowing a moistening device to apply the necessary sealant or water to the glued portion of the flap.
The present invention is used in the new mailing equipment of today in order to prevent jams of the envelopes being transported through the mailing machine feeding path. In spite of the advancements sometimes seen in the prior art, there is still a severe tendency of the mailpiece and mailpiece flap (envelope flap) to easily jam in the mailpiece transport area. This especially happens at the stripper blade, typically used to separate the envelope or mailpiece flap from the body of the envelope. Unpredictable attitudes of the flap during the transport process will inevitably permit some portion of the mailpiece flap to catch on the wrong components. The intent is to have the flap smoothly transition through the area where the stripper blade is located. To do this requires firmly establishing the location of the flap during the transport process. Therefore, the present invention uses a vacuum plenum in order to hold the envelope flap down while the envelope moves downstream in the system thereby preventing any jam potential. The present invention has shown that it is possible to reduce jams at the stripper blade mechanism by positively positioning the envelope flap against a surface that guides the flap beneath the stripping blade. This insures that the stripping blade will be in position between the inside of the envelope flap and the body of the remainder of the envelope or mailpiece.
This new vacuum system is applied where stripping of the envelope flap needs to be accomplished reliably in order to optimize the performance of the machine, and for providing a properly sealed envelope.